Method of making a flexible circuit electrode array
First Claim
1. A method of making a flexible circuit electrode array comprising:
- providing a substrate;
depositing a polymer base layer on the substrate;
depositing a first metal layer on said polymer base layer;
patterning said first metal to form first metal traces, electrodes and bond pads;
depositing a polymer interlayer on said polymer base layer and said first metal traces, electrodes and bond pads;
patterning said polymer interlayer to provide vias;
depositing a second metal layer on said polymer interlayer filling said vias;
patterning said second metal layer to form second metal traces, electrodes and bond pads;
depositing a polymer top layer on said polymer interlayer and said second metal traces, electrodes and bond pads;
patterning said polymer top layer to provide openings for exposing the second electrodes and bond pads, thus forming a flexible circuit electrode array;
removing said flexible circuit from the substrate; and
embedding a portion of the flexible circuit electrode array including electrodes in an curved body having a generally convex curved surface in the plane of a retina, the curved body curved to conform to a spherical curvature of the retina.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible circuit electrode array with more than one layer of metal traces comprising: a polymer base layer; more than one layer of metal traces, separated by polymer layers, deposited on said polymer base layer, including electrodes suitable to stimulate neural tissue; and a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer base layer and said metal traces. Polymer materials are useful as electrode array bodies for neural stimulation. They are particularly useful for retinal stimulation to create artificial vision, cochlear stimulation to create artificial hearing, or cortical stimulation many purposes. The pressure applied against the retina, or other neural tissue, by an electrode array is critical. Too little pressure causes increased electrical resistance, along with electric field dispersion. Too much pressure may block blood flow.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of making a flexible circuit electrode array comprising:
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providing a substrate; depositing a polymer base layer on the substrate; depositing a first metal layer on said polymer base layer; patterning said first metal to form first metal traces, electrodes and bond pads; depositing a polymer interlayer on said polymer base layer and said first metal traces, electrodes and bond pads; patterning said polymer interlayer to provide vias; depositing a second metal layer on said polymer interlayer filling said vias; patterning said second metal layer to form second metal traces, electrodes and bond pads; depositing a polymer top layer on said polymer interlayer and said second metal traces, electrodes and bond pads; patterning said polymer top layer to provide openings for exposing the second electrodes and bond pads, thus forming a flexible circuit electrode array; removing said flexible circuit from the substrate; and embedding a portion of the flexible circuit electrode array including electrodes in an curved body having a generally convex curved surface in the plane of a retina, the curved body curved to conform to a spherical curvature of the retina. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of making a flexible circuit electrode array comprising:
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providing a substrate depositing a polymer base layer on the substrate; depositing a first metal layer on said polymer base layer; patterning said first metal layer to form first metal traces, electrodes and bond pads; depositing a polymer interlayer on said polymer base layer and said metal traces, electrodes and bond pads; patterning said polymer interlayer to provide vias; depositing a second metal layer on said polymer interlayer; patterning said second metal layer to form second metal traces, electrodes and bond pads; depositing a polymer top layer on said polymer interlayer and said second metal traces; patterning the polymer top layer to form openings for exposing the second electrodes and bond pads, thus forming a flexible circuit electrode array; removing said flexible circuit electrode array from the substrate; and thermoforming a portion of the flexible circuit electrode array including electrodes in a convex approximately spherical shape curved to conform to a spherical curvature of a retina.
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Specification